Employment is Power

When you are struggling to get up in the morning, going to a job that
you enjoy can be a great wellness tool, says Corinita on Ep. 5 of
Mental Health Minute. We all need a good reason to get up in the
morning, and meaningful work could be just thing that moves you out of
the house to be around other people.

Yesterday the POCC and IPS sponsored an Employment Celebration at the
San Leandro Marina. After food raffles and music, those with
employment were invited to speak about what it means to them to be
working. It’s a powerful moment in your adult life when you can be
gainfully employed, but even more so when you are overcoming the
obstacles such as mental health conditions, poverty, incarceration,
homelessness or other types of systemic illness. Many of the people at
the BBQ worked for a county organization, or in the case of PEERS
funded by the county, as peer-to-peer supporters (those with lived
mental health experience). Many of the speakers such as our own Dee
Dee, used their personal narrative and outspoken abilities to
highlight what a blessing it is to be gainfully employed especially
through recent struggles. To hear the narratives of overcoming
adversity was truly an inspiration.